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Meriotic Kushiite in 28mm

Started by Tradgardmastre, June 18, 2024, 06:49:35 PM

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Tradgardmastre

I wonder what figures people are using to make this army in 28mm?


Aetius-last-of-the-Romans

I think that some of the 28mm Nubian ranges from Foundry/Casting Room  would work well. The Casting Room ones have the correct hair and also have the later loincloth with the decorative cloth strip at the front.
NB: You might want to change some of the shields for the spearmen as I think Caesar talks about very large rectangular shields (if memory serves me).
https://castingroomminiatures.com/collections/nubians
 

Aetius-last-of-the-Romans

Your big challenge will be the cavalry - which is where the Essex Miniatures classical Indian might come in handy, with a bit of conversion.
Likewise, I'd look at some of various 28mm Sudan Colonial ranges (Ansar cavalry) - again with a spot of conversion you can probably produce the right sort of Kushite cavalry (a few head swops etc) - but thankfully you shouldn't need many of these  ;D

dwkay57

I am hoping to do these in 6mm - so head swapping is out ;D
Looking across the ranges available, I had Egyptians, Indians, Numidians, and even Zulus in mind
David

Imperial Dave

Quote from: dwkay57 on July 02, 2024, 08:37:01 AMI am hoping to do these in 6mm - so head swapping is out ;D

Coward! Hand back your OBE!

 ;D
Former Slingshot editor

dwkay57

Did you ever move forward with this army (that's in terms of getting the figures and organising, rather than advancing on the battlefield)?

It is starting to crop back up on my horizon for 2025 (but at 6mm)
David

Jim Webster

Hi David
I have the army in 15mm, based for Impetus. So the numbers are the numbers of bases/units

1 elite cavalry
4 cavalry
16 bog standard foot
8 archers
4 sword and axe men
2 African elephants
3 Troglodyte skirmishing archers
2 skirmishing archers in canoes on the Nile

DBMM has the standard foot as inferior spear and the sword and axe men as inferior blade.
For Impetus I didn't count them as spearmen, and the sword and axe men I counted as better quality than the standard.

dwkay57

That's useful Jim.

I know the army lists generally describe the Kushite troops as Irregular but a couple of the general purpose history books I have mention them in passing and suggest that, despite comments by a certain Roman, at least some Kushite troops may have been more Regular in line with a government and structure based on that of Egypt.

Phrases that suggest this include: "Judging by other aspects of Meroitic administration the army was probably well organised..." and "the fall of Meroe spelled the real end of Pharaonic civilization" and "Nubia was a centre of culture and military power in Africa".

Now, I could well be reading more into these words than I should but would be interested to find out what others might have turned up beyond various army lists, especially as this may affect the command structure (e.g. less tribal more appointed commanders).
David

Duncan Head

I'm not aware of anything that would suggest "regular" status for any Meroitic troops. On the other hand, I am not sure what evidence one might expect, given the nature of the sources. A lot of the inscriptions, for instance, are funerary, but I don't think that any can be identified as being those of military officers. I don't recall anything in the rather scanty descriptions of Meroitic architectural sites that might be barracks or other military installations.
Duncan Head

Jim Webster

Hi David
There isn't a lot to go on
We have (Strabo XVII.1.54)

The Ethiopians, emboldened in consequence of a part of the forces in Egypt being drawn off by Ælius Gallus, who was engaged in war with the Arabs, invaded the Thebais, and attacked the garrison, consisting of three cohorts, near Syene; surprised and took Syene, Elephantina, and Philæ, by a sudden inroad; enslaved the inhabitants, and threw down the statues of Cæsar. But Petronius, marching with less than 10,000 infantry and 800 horse against an army of 30,000 men, first compelled them to retreat to Pselchis, an Ethiopian city. He then sent deputies to demand restitution of what they had taken, and the reasons which had induced them to begin the war. On their alleging that they had been ill treated by the nomarchs, he answered, that these were not the sovereigns of the country, but Cæsar. When they desired three days for consideration, and did nothing which they were bound to do, Petronius attacked and compelled them to fight. They soon fled, being badly commanded, and badly armed; for they carried large shields made of raw hides, and hatchets for offensive weapons; some, however, had pikes, and others swords. Part of the insurgents were driven into the city, others fled into the uninhabited country; and such as ventured upon the passage of the river escaped to a neighbouring island, where there were not many crocodiles on account of the current. Among the fugitives, were the generals of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians in our time, a masculine woman, and who had lost an eye. Petronius, pursuing them in rafts and ships, took them all and despatched them immediately to Alexandreia. He then attacked Pselchis and took it. If we add the number of those who fell in battle to the number of prisoners, few only could have escaped.

From Pselchis Petronius went to Premnis, a strong city, travelling over the hills of sand, beneath which the army of Cambyses was overwhelmed by the setting in of a whirlwind. He took the fortress at the first onset, and afterwards advanced to Napata. This was the royal seat of Candace ; and her son was there, but she herself was in a neighbouring stronghold. When she sent ambassadors to treat of peace, and to offer the restitution of the prisoners brought from Syene, and the statues, Petronius attacked and took Napata, from which her son had fled, and then razed it. He made prisoners of the inhabitants, and returned back again with the booty, as he judged any farther advance into the country impracticable on account of the roads. He strengthened, however, the fortifications of Premnis, and having placed a garrison there, with two years' provisions for four hundred men, returned to Alexandreia. Some of the prisoners were publicly sold as booty, and a thousand were sent to Cæsar, who had lately returned from the Cantabrians, others died of various diseases.

In the mean time Candace attacked the garrison with an army of many thousand men. Petronius came to its assistance, and entering the fortress before the approach of the enemy, secured the place by many expedients. The enemy sent ambassadors, but he ordered them to repair to Cæsar: on their replying, that they did not know who Cæsar was, nor where they were to find him, Petronius appointed persons to conduct them to his presence. They arrived at Samos, where Cæsar was at that time, and from whence he was on the point of proceeding into Syria, having already despatched Tiberius into Armenia. The ambassadors obtained all that they desired, and Cæsar even remitted the tribute which he had imposed.

Then we have Agatharchides of Cnidus in his 'on the Erythraean Sea'

Book 1 19
In Military actions the Aithiopians employ long bows but short arrows. Instead of an iron arrowhead, one made of stone that is oval in shape is securely attached with cords made of sinue to the tip of the reed shaft. Their arrows are extremely sharp and smeared with lethal poison
For the war against the Aithiopians Ptolemy recruited 500 cavalrymen from Greece. To those who were to fight in the front ranks and to be in the vngard- they were a hundred in number, he assigned the following form of equipment. For he distributed to them and their horses quilted robes, which the natives of that country call Kasai that conceal the whole body except for the eyes.

There is a foot note which says "Meroitic arrows with both iron and stone heads are archaeologically attested as is the possible use of poison to increase their killing power." The source for this bit is Shinnie, P K 'Meroe A civilisation of the Sudan' London 1967
There's also a footnote suggesting Kasai is a word in Persian usage.

At one point (Xerxes Expedition) the border tribes who fell under Persian control, "When they went into battle they painted half their bodies with gypsum and the other half with vermilion."

Southern Meroe had quite wide grasslands and Kushite horses were at one time well regarded.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sargon/essentials/countries/kush/  (I've read this elsewhere as well)

The Kushites' interest in horses was shared by the Assyrians. Technological innovation had turned their chariotry and cavalry into formidable weapons of war and greatly increased the Assyrians' need for horses, which was met through tribute and booty as well as trade. References to Egyptian and Kushite horses in official and administrative texts from Assyria highlight these regions' importance in the international horse trade. Kushite horses in particular were valued for their strength and size and sought after all over the Middle East, including by the charioteers of Israel and Assyria, as was the corresponding expert knowledge: the Nimrud Wine Lists, records of wine ration distributions at the royal court of Kalhu, attest to the presence of Kushites in Assyrian service as early as 732 BC.

Then for elephants there was a discussion (I think on this forum) and somebody sent this in


Jim Webster

With regard the regular/irregular debate, remember that Greek city states, who were 'civilised' after a fashion, had hoplite forces who are regarded as Irregular Spear (ordinary) in DBMM speak

In the DBMM army lists, in the Kushite Egyptian army, the actual Kushite troops are

Kushite cavalry - Irr Cv (O) @ 7AP   7-21
Kushite archers - Irr Ps (O) @ 2AP or Irr Bw (O) @ 4AP   12-42
Kushite javelinmen - Irr Ax (O) @ 3AP   8-18
Kushite slingers - Irr Ps (O) @ 2AP   4-18

The changes between the two lists is that the archers are closer order and more dangerous. The javelinmen have become spearmen (perhaps because they were packed in more densely rather than having spears)

The problem we have is that we have very little about the Meriotic Kushites. Some archaeology is going on, but so far we have very little to go on.


Jim Webster

Oh and don't confuse me with somebody who knows stuff, a lot of this is a result of following up comments Duncan made  :)

DBS

Quote from: dwkay57 on July 02, 2024, 08:37:01 AMLooking across the ranges available, I had Egyptians, Indians, Numidians, and even Zulus in mind
In 6mm, I think the biggest challenge is spearmen.  For archers one has the Baccus Nubians in the Egyptian range, if one is happy with loincloths, or the archers in the classical Greek range if one wants tunics.  Cavalry, I would mix up some of the Baccus Spanish light cavalry and Moorish cavalry - I find both very good as generic light cav who can be repurposed with a paint job.  For example, I use the Spanish lights for Gupta heavy cavalry.  I think the best bets for the spearmen are perhaps the Moorish light infantry or Rapier's skirmish javelins - both offer simple tunic, generic round shield, spear/javelin.  Again, both sets are very versatile given their simplicity.
David Stevens

Duncan Head

Given that the Meroitic spearmen seem to have used long sub-oval shields - the Nicolle figure is based on Meroitic graffiti, Ptolemaic figures show smaller ovals, and Strabo says large thyreoi - I wonder if, in 6mm, there are thureophoroi figures one could use.
Duncan Head